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Author
Topic: For all who "wonder" if they should see a doctor..... (Read 2909 times)

I've noticed a lot of threads of late with people wondering if they should see a doctor or wait and see if {whatever symptom} gets better. Here is a little story.....

I found out yesterday that my older brother has had an enlarged testicle for 3+ months.... he kept "waiting for it to get better" until he just couldn't stand it any more. He called a urologist once it felt like "a ten pound pumpkin in a five pound bag".He had it biopsied today -- yep - it's cancer. They removed the testicle, but in his preop work up they "saw something" on his kidney -- now he has to go back for more tests to see if that "something" is the cancer having spread.He really wishes he had gone when he first noticed one ball twice the size of the other -- but waited until it was even bigger.I wish he had too -- while we haven't been particularly close in adulthood, he is still my only "big brother" (I have 2 younger ones) and I did look up to him when younger (until a certain point, but that is a story for another day).From what I've read, there is a good cure rate for testicular cancer, even when it's spread -- but he is much older than the typical person who gets this, so I have no idea if that "complicates" things.I haven't spoken to him today -- my mother said he was not really in a mood to talk to anyone. If I were in RI, I'd probably have stopped by anyway, but decided to not call. My mother is freaking out. I tried to calm her down by pointing out that she survived breast cancer 30+ yrs ago and my dad recently survived prostate cancer -- so there is evidence of decent genes.We shall see how things progress.

Here on the Rock they hold assemblies each year in the high schools where they explain how to check testicles for signs of cancer. The pass out model testicles - one version of a "normal" testicle, one of a possibly cancerous testicle for everyone to feel.

These assemblies include both boys and girls, so girlfriends can also know if they're feeling something potentially abnormal. I read an article in the local rag a year or two ago where this program has resulted in quite a few young men coming forward as a direct result.

Mike, I wish your brother well and I hope he's on the road to a full recovery.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Here on the Rock they hold assemblies each year in the high schools where they explain how to check testicles for signs of cancer. The pass out model testicles - one version of a "normal" testicle, one of a possibly cancerous testicle for everyone to feel.

Thats great ^

Here's a really good video of how to check your testicles properly.

Yes it has naked soccer guys, and is slightly NSFW (you see balls but not penis)...but it is highly educational and every guy should see it. Seriously.

I dont think this violates the posting guidelines but ill let the mods decide..

I'm hoping everything works out and your brother doesn't have any more problems. I try to check my testicles once a month. You would think we'd be checking them all the time, but I mean a real feel for any abnormalities that weren't there before. I think many men think this is something teens and those in their early 20's have to worry about. Yes, they have higher rates, but it can happen later in life--obviously.

Besides not noticing things like this, there is an insurance issue for many. And, I know for me, I didn't want to be labeled a hypochondriac. When I went back to have the shoulder blade pain checked after pneumonia, I did feel a little hypochondriac. I have a lump inside my anus now. I'm sure it is just a hemorrhoid, but I have an appointment tomorrow to have it checked. My normally very large stools have been really thin. Again, could be the hemorrhoid lump pressing them thin, but I'm going to make sure not some other kind of lump. And, you don't want an infected hemorrhoid either. Better to just have it checked. If some think I'm a hypochondriac, then so be it.

Back to your brother-- I hope he gets a clean bill of health and the kidney issue isn't really an issue.

Thanks all -- the research I've been doing is showing that, even if the cancer has spread, the cure rate is 80+%. Of course, he's having a tough time digesting this -- it is rare for a 51yo to have this type of cancer. I'm sure he's regretting putting it off, but that is water under the bridge at this point. Not sure when we will know more, i.e. staging and what the "something" on the kidney really is.

The timing is quite "odd" too.... I have been seeing a urologist every 6 mos for a while now because of lumps of my own. 2 yrs ago we did a testicular ultrasound and the doc said I had epididymal cysts. One option was to remove the ball -- but he recommended a "watch" approach because these rarely turn cancerous (though, I imagine, could mask it). My next appt is next Friday -- I suspect that we may want to change our approach. Oddly he constantly brings up how removal might impact my ability to have more children -- I'm a, nearly, 50 yo gay man with 5 grandchildren.... my baby making days are behind me.

Its seems that there are a few off us who have members the off group public health people want to get at to use health service,s .

I can understand some off it but its frustrating because off what I have seen , blokes in general get very confused about Bravery when confronted with the fear off serious illness, wont speak for the Lady,s and they do not worry the Public Health people with this reluctance to address fear.

Logged

"If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people ." Tony Benn

My brother saw his urologist again today -- seems he does NOT have testicular cancer. According to my mother's report -- he had a severe infection. He still is scheduled for a CT scan next week to look at that "something" on his kidney though.

I am VERY happy that it isn't testicular cancer -- but something is very, very odd here. My mother is notorious for not getting or passing on information in it's complete form, so I do need to talk to my brother. I think I am going to wait until I get up to RI in 2 weeks and talk to him in person though. But this is what seems odd to me:

A. He left his exploratory surgery, last week, thinking he had a cancer and minus one ball. He went into surgery being told if it was cancer it should come out of him (he agreed), if it wasn't then they wouldn't need to remove it.

B. He spent a week thinking it was cancer and making follow up appts.

C. He was sent home WITHOUT any antibiotics -- only pain meds. It was only today -- a week later that he got a Rx for antibiotics.

Seems to me that if they thought it was an infection when they removed, he would have gone home with antibiotics -- I mean if a ball is so infected that the doc think it needs to be cut out, well....... antibiotics are a no-brainer.

My suspicion is that someone misread/overread a surgical biopsy in the moment, called it cancer and in the subsequent pathology review of the removed organ (a standard thing), the pathologist saw infection and no cancer. Too late to "put it back". This wouldn't bother me so much if they hadn't let him go a week thinking he had cancer.

Again -- greatly relieved (pending the kidney thing, of course), but very confused.

Side note -- my mother was put out that, after driving my brother to his appt today, he did not agree to let her come in to the exam room. She felt that he was too emotional to understand everything the doc would say. I pointed out that a 51 y.o. man certainly wouldn't want his mother in a UROLOGY exam. She said, and I quote, oh please, I changed his diaper. After picking up my chin from the floor, I told her , yeah, well a lot has changed in the last 50 years mother.

Im so relieved that your brother doesn't have testicular cancer.You, your brother , and family have had a really rough week......I hope everything works out and that he also gets some answers and an apology for what he has endured this week.